Lost Inside
by SuPaTwEaK
Summary: "You're such a tease, you know that right?" he grinned. She rolled her eyes with the slightest hint of a smile, "You are such a fool..." What if there was someone who could save Azula from her descent into madness and help her find her own path? AzulaxOMC (No GaryStu) R&R!(: *Full Summary inside!*
1. Prologue

**A/N: So this is my first attempt at an Avatar: TLAB story so just stick with me and I promise it'll be worth it.**

*******FULL SUMMARY*****:**

_**"You're such a tease, you know that right?" he grinned. She rolled her eyes with the slightest hint of a smile, "You are such a fool..." What if there was someone who could save Azula from her descent into madness? What if there was someone who could help her find her own path? Fate has a weird way of working out.**_

_**But what else does fate have in store for our heroes? A bigger enemy lurking in the darkness, waiting for the opportune moment to strike? A potential large scale civil war among one of the nations that could threaten the very balance of the world?**_

_**Team Avatar will get quite the number of new members- some new faces, some young faces, and some very unexpected faces- to undertake and end the war to end all wars.**_

_** Surprising revelations will determine just, who exactly is the real enemy? And, who is/are the real victim(s) in all of this?**_

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my OC/OMC, concepts, and ideas. Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own everything else.**

* * *

In times of war, the smallest of things become precious. . . Even if that something small is memories from what seemed like ages ago. . .

"_Now Tomu, you must remember to behave and not be a pain to Lady Ursa," Admiral Liu Xiang explained to his young son as they approached the palace gardens. "It should be a great honor for you just to be here within the palace; let alone have a friendship with the Fire Lord's grandson."_

"_Yes father, I know. Zuko is my best friend and I would never do anything that would endanger our friendship," the young boy replied, keeping pace with his father._

"_Hello there Admiral, Tomu." Ursa welcomed warmly as she stood alongside her son who wasted no time in dragging his friend away._

"_Thank you once again," the Admiral bowed._

"_Nonsense, I find it rather heartwarming that my son has found a great friend in yours," she smiled as they spotted the boys sitting next to the pond feeding the turtle ducks. Oh the innocence of youth. _

_After a few more exchange of words, Admiral Liu Xiang excused himself and proceeded onto the main reason as to why he was at the palace- a very important meeting involving the top ranking officers of the Fire Nation military._

"_Well if it isn't Tom-Tom."_

"_Oh, uh, h-hi, Azula," Tomu looked up shyly._

"_His name is Tomu, Azula," Zuko glared up at his sister. "Just go away and leave us alone."_

"_Then what fun would that be. Can't we all play together? I'm sure Mai would enjoy playing with you."_

"_What? N-no."_

_Azula sighed before she went over and sat next to Tomu and looked up at him with those adorable amber eyes. "Tomu, you and me can play together, right?"_

"_Yes! I-I mean no. I mean, uh, well. . ."_

_Oh boy did it suddenly feel hot or what._

"_. . .err, umm- look it's Ty Lee!" Tomu quickly got up and scurried away, leaving the two siblings to bicker._

"_That's cheating Azula! You know Tomu has a crush on you," Zuko argued._

"_What? I had no idea," Azula remarked innocently._

"_Yes you did."_

"_No I didn't."_

_They continued on as Tomu questioned Ty Lee on her acrobatics and asked if she could demonstrate to which Ty Lee happily obliged._

"_Can you do any of that?" she questioned him._

"_Umm, well not really; all I can do is this."_

_He took a deep breath then slowly got into a handstand position. _

"_Impressive," Ty Lee clapped as he held the position._

_Azula frowned slightly when she spotted Tomu and Ty Lee on the other side of the pond._

"_Oh, Tomu, is it true you have a crush on Azula?" Ty Lee asked innocently and completely out of the blue._

"_W-what?!" Tomu lost his balance and fell back on the soft grass. He rolled onto his stomach and asked Ty Lee where she had heard that from. How did she know? He had never told anyone. Not even Zuko. Was it really that obvious? Oh boy this could not be good, and the fact that he could feel the heat in his cheeks did not help out either. _

"_I don't know what you're talking about."_

"_Yes you do," she smiled taking a step forward as he took one back."It's ok, I won't tell, promise."_

"_Tell what?"_

"_Azula!" Tomu exclaimed, startled by her sudden appearance behind him. "I- uh," she looked up at him- their age difference contributing to their height difference- waiting for him to come up with an answer. From behind Azula, Tomu could spot Ty Lee grinning at him and giving him a thumbs-up._

"_I'm going to go and play with Zuko," he stepped back and scurried back alongside his friend._

"_Are you ok?" Zuko asked amusedly._

"_Girls are crazy," he mumbled as he lied back on the soft grass._ . .

Ah how those were sweet and innocent times . . . well at least to them it was. Tomu was no longer a child and things had greatly changed.

Going back several years when he was still a boy, his father began having some disagreements with what the Fire Lord was ordering him to do. Admiral Liu Xiang was not a fool though and so he did not voice out his disagreements. But things were becoming quite unstable for him as some important family matters came up. His wife, his beautiful earthbending wife whom he had ironically met while on patrol in the colonies, was pregnant once again. The only problem was, after consulting with some medicine men and women from here and there, chances were if their first-born was born a firebender, the next would either be a nonbender or an earthbender. It was easy enough to hide her true identity so long as she didn't earthbend, but if the child were to be an earthbender, he could not imagine the threat that would be imposed on him and his family.

He could not risk it, he would not risk it. And so he and his wife devised a plan- both agreeing to not tell the young Tomu. No officer had ever deserted without being caught, the only exception being Jeong Jeong. That too was too much of a risk. The only way for things to work out was for him to stage his own death. And by some miraculous twist it actually worked. The Fire Nation proclaimed him to be dead and in 'distress' his wife fled from the mainland along with Tomu to the colony of Yu Dao where firebenders and earthbenders lived together in harmony.

When Tomu first heard that his father passed away in an unfortunate accident, he was completely broken. His best friend Zuko even tried to comfort him. What made things worse for Tomu was that his mother wanted to move away from the mainland, leaving behind everything- his life, his memories, his friends, Zuko. . . and Azula. . .

He tried to be strong but it was too much for him.

When Tomu's parents devised the plan, they knew Tomu would be broken but it couldn't be helped. Liu Xiang had lost his father, who also happened to be a great Admiral, in some accident so he knew exactly what his son was feeling. But the plan was to reunite at Yu Dao, which is why Tomu's mother was so eager in leaving behind everything. When they did reunite, even though he never actually died, nothing could stop the tears from falling down his cheeks as he held his son for the first time in a very long time.

As he grew older, Tomu's view of the world changed and he slowly began to see the world for what it truly was. His whole life had changed yet he knew it was for the better. He eventually deducted on his own that there was another reason that led to his father's actions when he, Tomu, was a boy. Liu Xiang, who now went by Ling within the colony, praised his son upon figuring it out but refused to tell him. All Ling would tell Tomu was that it had something to do with Tomu's grandfather and that this was something Tomu had to find out on his own so that he could make his own decisions based on the revelations that awaited him.

Tomu respected his father's wishes and waited for that day to come.

The day eventually came, and off he was to Ember Island to where his father told him that the secret lay deep within their vacation home. Off he was to uncover his family's biggest secret that changed his life forever. Who knew what it was, but all he knew it had to do with his grandfather.

Thinking back to those times when he was a kid made him look back and wonder about his friends and the life he left behind.

Would he ever see them again? Would he ever see _her_ again? Who knew, only fate would tell.

* * *

**A/N: This is just the beginning, I know, probably not the best but let me know what you think so far**

**It would be greatly appreciated(:**

***Also, after the first few chapters the story will begin to divert and expand. Plus, this isn't Nickelodeon so I'm not limited on the content I can write i.e: action/violence/language but I will keep it at the T rating. (Hell, even the creators had planned for Azula to completely vaporize the ship captain when he slipped up and revealed that Zuko and Iroh were actually their prisoners. But alas you can't show that stuff on Nick :P )**


	2. Ember Island

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my OC/OMC, concepts, and ideas. Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own everything else.**

* * *

Ah, Ember Island. Tomu couldn't remember the last time he was here. It must have been well before his father's supposed "death". His family had lost much contact with the Fire Nation and lived a nice, low profile life well within the Yu Dao colony. He wasn't complaining or anything, he actually liked it. The colony incorporated Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom together as one, and if anything, he was beginning to feel as being more Earth Kingdom than Fire Nation.

He was surprised the house was still up and in good condition. Being there was bringing out all sorts of mixed emotions.

One, he was feeling a bit anxious to find out this truth. Just what exactly was it?

And two, he was remembering all the times he and his parents would come here back when he was a child. He especially loved it because it was right next to the beach. Ah, those countless memories of playing in the sand and just lying next to a fire while looking up at the stars with his parents. If he remembered correctly, the Fire Lord had a house literally on the other side of the island. And if he had heard correctly, the royal family hadn't vacationed there in a long time as well. Well, whatever the case was, it was beside him.

After a quick tour of the house, everything seems to be just as he could remember things to be. But then something crossed his mind. His father had told him that the secret lay deep within the house . . . as in he never told Tomu explicitly where it was. So in other words, if Tomu desired to know the truth, then he would have to find it on his own . . . literally.

"Fair enough father, fair enough," he couldn't help but smile. Now to figure out where exactly he would find his answers. _Deep within. . ._ Could that possibly mean the center of the house? No, that was unlikely seeing as how the exact center of the house was an empty hallway. Wait- didn't his father have some old bookshelves up in the attic? There were also some bookshelves in various parts of the house. Perhaps those would reveal something. And if not . . . well . . . if not . . . he would think of something when it came to it.

He was anxious. Too anxious. He needed to calm down but that was nearly impossible as long as he remained in the house. He decided it wouldn't hurt him to go out and explore the island and enjoy himself some. This was a vacation spot after all so who knew what sorts of fun things he might do in his time out. He did have all the time in the world after all. This trip was for himself and even his father told him to not hurry and to take his time and relax while he was there.

He wandered around the island when he noticed a group playing kuai ball. He was just going to watch the game when he was approached by one of the players.

"Hey buddy! Want to play on our team? We're short one player."

"Uh sure, but I can't guarantee my skills are as fresh as they used to be," Tomu laughed.

"Hey man, don't worry about it, we're just having fun here," the guy assured. "I'm Tian by the way."

"I'm-" wait, would it be ok for him to give his name? Yes he was born Fire Nation but he had spent the majority of his life in the Earth Kingdom. Well the Yu Dao colony to be exact, but still, he wanted to play it safe. "Bo, my name's Bo."

"Nice to meet you Bo, ready to have some fun?"

And fun they had. Tomu couldn't remember the last time he had such fun. It was just a simple, carefree, friendly game; nothing but laughs and no serious competition. Who knew how much time had passed by until he decided to sit out a round so he could catch a small breather and get some refreshments for himself and his new friends. As he was coming back from the stand, he noticed a little boy crying next to a pile of sand.

"Hey buddy, you alright?" Tomu asked as he knelt down with the two trays at hand.

The little boy shook his head no.

"What happened?"

The little boy pointed at the pile of sand.

"The sand? Oh! Was it a sandcastle?"

Nod.

"Did someone kick it down?"

Nod.

"Whoa that's terrible. Hey, how about I help you rebuild it? How's that sound?"

The little boy's eye lit up as he nodded with a big grin.

"Awesome! I need to deliver these real quick," he motioned to the trays, "but I'll be right back. Would you like one?"

"Yes please."

"Hey, you talk," Tomu laughed as he let the boy pick a snow cone.

"Thank you."

"No prob. I'll be right back, ok?"

Tomu rushed back to the court and greeted his friends with the two trays.

Thanks all around as they enjoyed a nice little break.

"Hey guys I'll be right back, I need to go do something real quick."

"Don't take too long, I'll beat you this time for sure," Tian laughed.

"We'll see," Tomu waved as he rushed back to the little boy.

"Alright buddy I'm back, you ready?"

"Yes!"

"My name is Bo by the way," he outstretched his hand.

"I'm Kai," the boy shook Tomu's much larger hand.

"Alright Kai, let's get started here."

Tomu was surprisingly very good at making figures out of the earth, especially considering he had younger, twin, mischievous earthbending sisters that absolutely loved to play in the mud. Of course he was always the victim of their up-and-coming earthbending, but he still loved them to death. Mudcastles, sandcastles- same earth just different form. Sand is too loose so you have to wet and compress it for it to take shape. Mud on the other hand is very wet so you have to dry it some then form it.

In no time they had constructed a large sandcastle that put all others to shame.

"It looks like a castle I would read about in fairy tales," Kai said in awe.

"Glad you-" Tomu stopped in his words when some punk casually kicked down one of the small towers as he passed by. Tomu instantly reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Hey man what are you doing? Let go!"

"Apologize, now."

"What the hell man? Why should I? I didn't do nuthin' wrong."

"You kicked down a tower!" Kai frowned.

"What? I didn't do that. Now let me go!" he tried to free his arm but Tomu's grip only tightened.

"I saw you kick it down," Tomu's eyes hardened. "Don't play stupid with me," his glare intensified. "Now apologize to Kai," Tomu's grip tightened the entire time he was talking. The punk was on his knees with a numbing arm. Tomu finally released his arm and pointed at Kai.

"I-I'm sorry little dude I knocked down your tower. I-I'll make sure to watch where I go next time," he apologized while on his knees.

"Go." He ran off the second Tomu told him to. He heard Tomu's hard voice and didn't even need to look back to know that that hard, intense glare was still upon him. He'd sure as hell make sure to stay away from him. That look . . . just thinking about it made his still numb arm hurt again.

"Let's fix this up," Tomu's eyes softened as he got down on his knees to repair the tower. Other than that, the entire castle was still perfectly intact.

"You are so cool!" Kai looked up at him with big eyes. "You're like my hero right now that'll scare all the bullies away."

"I can't guarantee, but thanks," Tomu chuckled, trying to figure out why he reacted like that; probably because Kai reminded him of his sisters. His over protectiveness of them probably carried on to Kai since he reminded Tomu of the twins.

"Alrighty Kai, now we are finished, again," Tomu laughed with his young companion as they looked over their work.

"This is awesome! Thanks Bo! I'll never forget this!" Kai beamed as he jumped up and down. "That mean girl can't knock _this_ down!"

"Don't sweat it, it was nothing. I've got to get going now, so see you around kiddo," Tomu outstretched his fist.

"Bye!" Kai bumped Tomu's fist with a big grin.

When he finally got back it appeared as though there was a game going on. Tian was playing alongside three of their companions against a team that consisted of three girls and one boy.

"So what's the damage?" he asked, standing alongside his companions that sat out to let the visiting team play a match.

"They're losing, badly," his newfound friend, Shelly, answered. "Those guys are pretty tough. I would say that the one in the center is their leader. She sure has been relentless on Meena. The one with the long braid is definitely an acrobat, you should've seen the way she kicked the ball earlier and landed perfectly balanced atop the net. And those two in the back just seem like a moody bunch."

"You're quite observant, Shelly," Tomu complimented as he tried to get a good look at the opposing team. It was kinda hard because they were all moving around. He felt as though he'd seen them before . . . or possibly even met them . . . especially that one girl in the center with her bangs framing her face…

"I've just been paying attention to the game is all," she smirked at him. "Like I've been paying attention to the fact that you haven't taken that vest off yet."

"W-well, the situation hasn't called for it," he laughed, a small red hue tinting his cheeks.

"Don't tell me you're shy, Bo," she winked up at him.

"What? No," he laughed rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, "It's just that-"

"Time out!" Tian's voice rang out.

"A time out? There is no time out in a battle, what is the meaning of this?" the leader of the team demanded.

"Calm down Azula," one of the girls said dully.

"You're beating our butts pretty badly which is why we're switching a player to give you a bit more of a challenge," Tian explained.

"A challenge huh? That seems highly unlikely, but very well, switch your players if you wish. We will still crush you."

"Bo! Get in here! Meena take a break, you did great."

"Well would you look at that," Shelly grinned as Tomu stripped himself of his vest.

"The situation called," he shrugged as he stepped inside the playing area.

. . .

"Azula! Azula look at that guy! He's such a hunk!" the acrobat squealed.

"And the only one to not bat his eyes at you so far, Ty Lee."

"Hey," Ty Lee pouted, "it's not like I asked for those guys' attention Mai."

"Heh, whatever," Mai shrugged. "Hey Zuko, is everything alright?" she asked, noticing his hard stare at Bo.

"That guy, he looks familiar," Zuko mused.

"You're right, he does," Azula agreed, "but from where?"

. . .

"You're losing so bad that they let us serve even though you were the one that called the time out," Tomu tsked.

"Shut it," Tian pointed his finger at Tomu. "Just serve it."

"Ahh, alright. These guys look pretty tough so I guess I should give it my all."

"Wait- what? You've never been playing seriously?" Tian exclaimed but Tomu had already served the ball. Just as fast as it went over it came back.

_Those moves! Firebenders! I see now._

It caught him off guard but he barely managed to hit the ball up in the air for Tian to kick over. Azula returned it and scored a point.

"Guys, no matter what happens, don't let the ball over on the first hit. If it comes to you, try your best to keep it up on our side," Tomu said in a low voice. "Trust me."

They all gave a small grunt indicating they heard and understood.

Zuko served the ball. Tomu kicked it back. Mai sent it back over. Their fellow teammate barely managed to bump it up. Tian kicked it over. Ty Lee jumped up and returned it with much force as she landed atop the net for the point. But she didn't expect Tomu to literally throw himself at the ball and hit it forcefully towards the net. It all happened quite fast: the ball hit the net, Tomu was on the ground, and Ty Lee actually lost her balance much to the shock of her teammates; as she proceeded to fall onto the sand, Tian barely managed to bump the ball up for his teammate to literally give it a simple tap over the net and onto the floor. Right before she hit the ground, Tomu managed to catch her smaller form with ease.

She was blushing furiously as Tomu stood while still carrying her.

"Sorry about that," he gave a small laugh as he set her down then went back to his team, congratulating them on the teamwork.

"O-oh it's alright," Ty Lee waved, smiling to herself as butterflies fluttered throughout her stomach.

Azula frowned. It bugged her that this, one particular, guy be close to Ty Lee for reasons she knew not of nor understood; Quite foolish of her to be trifled with such petty emotions. It was about time for her to bring this game to its end.

Mai served it and Tian brought it back. Azula was more than ready to claim her victory. This game had lasted long enough and it was no thanks to that one guy, Bo. With a mighty kick, she sent the ball back over with such force that it burst up in flames and burnt up the net. Everyone jumped out of the way except Tomu. He had something else in mind. Using his own firebending at the very last second, he caught the ball and dispersed the flames. What he didn't expect was for the flames to be so hot. His hands actually felt a bit burnt. Jeez, this girl was surely a very skilled firebender.

After a few moments of silence, Tomu turned to his team with the charred ball at hand and a big smile on his face. "Looks like I lost the point, I held the ball for more than three seconds. Game over. We lost, but hey, we scored a point!" he laughed as he held the ball up in the air.

"We won, yet they're the ones celebrating," Mai sighed, crossing her arms over her chest.

Azula had her eyes fixed on Tomu from the happy crowd he was in. It was as if he were trying to show her up. She knew exactly what he did. Right before he came into contact with the ball, he used firebending to envelope the ball and her flames with his own then disperse them. It was a weak kick of course, those flames were nothing but the fact that it actually happened seemed to get on her nerves.

"Well that was fun," she turned to her team. "Wait, where is Ty Lee?"

Mai motioned over at the small crowd that Ty Lee was in.

"Hi!" she greeted Tomu with a big smile. "That was a great game. How're your hands by the way. I hope you're ok."

As he got a closer look at her, she looked sooo familiar but he couldn't recall from where. It was about to drive him mad.

"Hey you, I'm fine thanks for asking. And you guys were pretty amazing too."

"My name is Ty Lee by the way. What's yours?"

_Ty Lee? . . . . Ty Lee?!_

His eyes slightly widened.

Could this really be Ty Lee? There was no doubt. It clicked perfectly in his head. No wonder she looked so familiar to him.

_But wait. If this is Ty Lee then. . ._

He felt his heart completely drop within his chest.

_. . . then those three over there must be Mai, Zuko, and . . . Azula. . ._


	3. After Dark (Part 1)

**A/N: Hey there everyone! Love all of you and all of your support! Here I am back in the same month with a new chapter! (So proud of myself x] ) This was originally going to be a large chapter but I decided to split it, that way I can release an update faster and so I don't get caught up with college stuff and eventually- yet shamefully- put it off.**

**So here we go, hope you all enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my OC/OMC, concepts, and ideas. Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own everything else.**

* * *

_"My name is Ty Lee by the way. What's yours?"_

_His eyes widened slightly. __If this is Ty Lee then. . ._

_He felt his heart completely drop within his chest._

_. . . then those three over there must be Mai, Zuko, and . . . Azula. . ._

* * *

"Uhh, Bo," he recovered, "My name is Bo. Nice to meet you Ty Lee."

"Nice to meet you too Bo," she smiled up at him. "Say, you look really familiar like if we've met before."

_Ohhh dear_.

"Really? I don't hear that every day," he laughed.

"Ugh," she pouted. "It'll come to me, I know it."

"Hey Bo!" Shelly called out to him as she approached the two. "Guess who got invited to a big party later tonight!?"

"Judging by how happy you appear to be, I'm guessing you?" he grinned.

"The entire team, you included!" she exclaimed happily. "Apparently we've been deemed 'cool' enough to attend."

"Chan's party?!" Ty Lee chirped in. "We're going too!" she waved at her friends. "This is so cool! We can totally hang out!"

"Ty Lee!" Azula's voice called out.

"Oops, guess it's time for me to go. I'll be expecting to see you at that party," she waved at him.

"I'll be there, don't worry," he waved back.

"Aren't we so popular," Shelly glanced up at him with a cheeky grin.

"Eh? She's . . . an old friend, is all. Anyways, where did Tian go?"

"He and the others went into the plaza to eat, I stayed behind to tell you the news but also to accompany you so you wouldn't be all alone," she explained.

"Thanks Shelly, shall we get going then? I'm actually quite hungry myself," he laughed softly as they made their way back to their friends.

After a long while of stuffing their faces and filling their stomachs with food, Tomu was beginning to feel slightly tired and decided on heading back to the house to get some rest before the party. He was told what time it would start but everyone pretty much already knew that a party doesn't start until the sun goes down.

"Ahhh, this is so nostalgic," he sighed contently, walking along the shore; the small waves dispersing at his feet, the slight early evening breeze, the empty and isolated beach . . . ah how this sure did bring back memories. He had no complaints on the fact that his beach house was quite a ways from the 'main' beach. He rather enjoyed the long walk with nothing but the sound birds' chirping and the crashing waves reaching his ears. Seeing as how this area was far from any merchant stands or any of the main shops in town, it was almost as if he had this entire region of the beach to himself.

Finally reaching the house, he let out a satisfied sigh. He no longer felt the stresses he had before when he had first started searching. His mind was as clear as the sky and he was glad he had actually left and let off a little energy earlier. He immediately found his way to the most comfortable couch, plopped down, and instantly fell into a blissful sleep.

* * *

"Oooh I tell you Mai, he was soooo cute," Ty Lee raved on as she pranced around the room.

"Yes Ty Lee, I know. You've told me that already for the hundredth time," Mai sighed, glancing out the window while wondering just where Zuko and Azula had gone off to. It'd been some time before they had returned to Lo and Li's beach house and sometime later Azula and Zuko had gone off to talk about 'private, sibling matters'. It sure had been a while since then…a long while…

"I mean seriously! Not only was he a total hunk, he was really nice and polite, and he had the prettiest eyes I've ever seen on a guy! I mean they were like a mix of light brown with a tinge of green and gold," Ty Lee continued on gleefully.

"Hazel?" Mai mumbled dully against her palm as her chin rested on it.

"Yeah! Hazel! I mean c'mon Mai, you've got to admit that you don't see guys around here with that eye color," the acrobat beamed.

"I suppose," Mai replied.

"I'm just happy I'll be able to see him again at the party! Perhaps then I might remember where I've seen him before."

Mai was staring absentmindedly through the window when a sudden thought crossed her mind.

_Hazel eyes. . ._

It felt as if a long lost memory was trying its hardest to resurface from the depths of her mind.

"Say, Ty Lee, didn't we used to know someone with hazel eyes? A _long_ time ago?" Mai asked as she sat upright and faced her friend.

"Ummmm," Ty Lee groaned as she tried to remember, "Yeah! It was. . . .ummmmmm . . . . . . .Tomu!"

That's when they both froze and looked at one another.

"You don't think. . ." Ty Lee trailed off.

"I think it is," Mai replied slowly.

"But- He's been gone for . . . could it really be?"

"Only one way to find out. . ."

* * *

Who knew how long it had been until Tomu finally awoke from his nap. There was still some time to kill before he would go to the party which is why he currently found himself outside, facing the home with a dreaded expression.

"Ughh, she said to give the place a good cleaning . . . but it's too big!" he groaned. "But wait, she's not here. So it doesn't really matter- but if she finds out that I lied then I'm surely in for it," he shuddered, images of his mother's wrath creeping into his mind. . .

"_Ah Tomu dear, you're home early. Have you finished your chores and errands already?" his mother asked sweetly, yet with an underlying intimidating tone, as Tomu walked up to their home._

"_Y-yes mother."_

"_Are you lying to me Tomu? Have you really finished?"_

"_U-um, well not_ completely_. I just needed to-"_

_A single tap on the ground and the next thing he knew, he found himself flying in the air and back towards the town._

"_Mmmmmooooooommmmm!"_

_His fading cry could be heard as twin earthbenders waved goodbye to their brother's disappearing form._

"_Bye- bye Tomu!" they waved with wide cheeky smiles. _

"_Hmph, teach that boy to lie to me," she chuckled. . ._

He shuddered once again. He made up his mind that he was actually going to clean it but he figured he would wait until tomorrow so he could do it all without stopping. His mother had said to give the entire place a quick dusting, but he seemed to recall her stressing that he thoroughly clean the entire deck more than anything. The thought nearly killed him. The house was rather large and elevated above the ground to some extent. The deck itself was huge out in the back and it slightly extended around the left side of the house as to provide a small, narrow walking space from the side door to the main deck. Heh, without that extension, one would open that door and find themselves falling into a face full of sand.

Either way he'd have to do it, but not now. Now, he felt like lying down on the beach's warm sand for a while until the sun went down enough for him to go to the party. He would say that he walked about a little more than halfway of the long walk that was from his house to the main beach. Settling himself on the warm sand, he crossed his arms behind his head and hummed a soft tune as the soothing sounds of the shore's water filled his ears . . . that is, until he heard a very recognizable voice.

"There you are! Mai! I found him!"

His eyes snapped open. Ty Lee? What was she doing here? And with Mai? Why were they looking for him? He slowly stood up and dusted himself off as the two girls approached him.

"We've been looking everywhere for you Bo! Or should I say Tomu?" Ty Lee questioned with a wide grin.

. . . what. . .

* * *

"Lo, Li, where are Mai and Ty Lee?" Azula questioned, noticing her friends were no longer at the beach house.

"'Out for a walk,' they said," the twins spoke in unison.

"Come Zuzu, we'll go search for them and then head out to the party."

"I told you to stop calling me that! And isn't it still a bit early to be heading out to the party?"

"Nonsense, we were given the time it would start and as guests, it is our duty to arrive on time."

Zuko could only sigh as he followed behind his sister.

* * *

"How long did you think you'd go until we found out?" Mai questioned with a small smile of her own, crossing her arms over her chest.

. . . was this really just happening? Did they really just call him by his name?

"I-it's been nearly ten years. I didn't think you would remember me, let alone recognize me," was all he could say in his still surprised state.

"You never really forget your friends, Tomu. It just takes a little while for the memories to come back," Ty Lee spoke softly as she approached him and gave him a warm hug.

He smiled and returned the hug.

"Do I not get a hug from you Mai?" he gave her an innocent, pouty look.

She sighed and gave in to his friendly embrace.

"Ty Lee, you can let go now," Mai said as her friend was still hugging Tomu's torso.

"I just missed him so much Mai!" she whined as Tomu simply chuckled and loosely wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"You sure have gotten taller," Mai remarked, noticing just how much he nearly towered over Ty Lee.

"And you have facial hair!" Ty Lee added as she reached up and playfully rubbed his five o'clock shadow.

"That's what puberty does to a guy," he laughed, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"And your voice is different too! And you've got muscles! Wow, you're so buff Tomu! Who would've known that in all this time, our shy little friend would have grown into such a hunk!" Ty Lee went on with delight.

"That's also called puberty Ty Lee," Mai spoke.

"You both look great as well," Tomu smiled at his friends.

"Aw thank you Tomu," Ty Lee twirled her foot in the sand.

"How are you and Zuko, Mai?" Tomu asked, getting the girl's sudden attention. "I saw you two earlier at the beach so I figured that you two were finally going out. Although I am curious as to who asked who out first, I'll just leave it at that for now," he said with a cheeky look, satisfied with the small blush on Mai's face.

"What about you Tomu?" Ty Lee interjected with a cheeky look of her own. "Any lady '_friends'_?"

"What? Me?" he chuckled. "I'm afraid not."

"Good," Ty Lee nodded, "good."

"Hm?"

"Nothing!" she laughed awkwardly before straightening up. "Zuko and Azula are going to be so happy when they see you Tomu!"

"Zuko probably, but I don't know about Azula. She's not exactly the happiest person in the world," Mai said thoughtfully.

Tomu asked if the siblings knew about him as well to which they nodded no. So it was just Ty Lee and Mai that knew. Interesting…

"Don't you remember when we first told her that Tomu had gone away? She merely dismissed it as us being foolish. She didn't believe us. But only after about a month when he still wouldn't show did she actually realize that we were serious," Ty Lee recalled.

"Yeah, you're right. Her attitude changed since then, once she realized that you were never coming back; and not in a good way." Mai explained.

And here he thought that all he ever was to her was someone for her to pick on and tease.

"I think she liked you too," Ty Lee teased as she poked his cheek.

"Heh, that was just a simple childish crush from nearly ten years ago," he smiled slightly. So much time had passed. And although he had always hoped he would be able to see everyone again, he knew things would be different. Time affected people in different ways and he was no different. "I don't know whether to tell them or wait and hope they find out on their own."

Mai wondered just how Zuko would react when he realized that his long lost best friend was on the island and closer than he could ever imagine. But at the same time, she figured that Zuko should realize that his best friend was right there on his own. He was his best friend after all. If Tomu still remembered, then Zuko would too.

"I'd say you should just wait it out and see what plays out," Mai suggested.

"I think you're right. Who knows what fun us three might have," he laughed.

"Mai! Ty Lee!"

"Was that…" Ty Lee trailed off.

"I think it was…" Tomu murmured.

"Azula," Mai sighed as Azula walked up to them with Zuko following behind.

"Why did you guys leave the house?" Zuko questioned, taking note of the guy from before and not really liking that his girlfriend was here with him so late out. At the same time, Azula noticed how Ty Lee was oddly close to the guy. She had her arm wrapped around his waist and he had his arm wrapped around her shoulders. Azula didn't like it. These feelings felt the same as before. She didn't understand what it was. It was ridiculous for her to be puzzled by such an unknown emotion. For someone Ty Lee met earlier in the day, she appeared as though she had known the guy for a very long time . . . whoever he was.

"It was so boring in there so we went out for a walk," Mai replied simply, feeling the tension being given off by each of the siblings.

"Yeah, and we ran into Bo!" Ty Lee added with a smile. "Oh! Bo, this is Azula and Zuko. Guys this is Bo."

"Yes, nice to meet you," Azula replied uninterested while Zuko merely nodded. "We need to get going now or else we'll be late to the party."

"Chan's party?" Tomu raised an eyebrow. "The sun is barely going to set. Parties usually don't start 'til after the sun goes down. I guarantee if you go now, not even Chan or his pretty boy boyfriend will be ready."

"Are you saying you know more than me when it comes to the matter?" Azula faced him. Even Ty Lee had to take a few steps back. She knew a face off when she saw one.

Mai, quite amused by the scene, watched the confrontation intently. Tomu had guts. All she could remember of him was a little boy that was quite shy around girls and very soft spoken. Now he was arms crossed over his chest staring down at Azula. She knew by looking at that gleam in his eye that he was enjoying the fact that she didn't recognize him.

"As a matter of fact I-"

"Alright guys, Azula, we should be getting to that party so that we can party party party!" Ty Lee laughed nervously as she gently tugged on the Fire Princess' arm. It was best to prevent a fight between Azula and Tomu. "That is why you came searching for us right? So we could all go to the party!"

"Wait Ty Lee. I believe he was about to say something," Azula said in a dangerously calm tone.

Tomu smirked, noticing Ty Lee's pleading eyes right behind Azula. "I was just going to say I think you guys should go to that party now."

Azula's eyes narrowed at him; not content with his answer but accepting it seeing as how she didn't need to be wasting her time here with him. "Very well, let's go."

He cast them a small wave as they walked away. He couldn't help the laugh that escaped him once they were out of sight. Oh how things had changed.

"Zuko kept staring at me as though he thought I would steal his girlfriend and Azula probably can't stand me," he chuckled. "Perhaps it is best if I wait and ride everything out as it unfolds on its own."

For now, he would enjoy the sunset on his own then head out to the party.

* * *

Over at Chan's party. . .

"He was right," Mai muttered dully, "We're the only ones here."

* * *

**A/N: There you have it! I wonder what unknown emotion Azula is feeling(;**

**Love to hear your input! :)**


	4. After Dark (Part 2)

**Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my OC/OMC, concepts, and ideas. Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own everything else.**

* * *

Once the sun had gone down, teens began to show up in waves and in no time the party was at its best. Yet for some, things could have been better at the moment.

Zuko was unsuccessfully trying to impress Mai as well as contain his jealousy; Ty Lee had unintentionally attracted more guys and as a result had to deal with Azula's harsh words; and Azula had to spill a small secret about herself in order to console her friend which in part led to Ty Lee giving her tips on how to flirt with guys. As ridiculous as it may have sounded, she did want to at least _try_ and experience the 'normal' teenage life so why not try out Ty Lee's tips?

It was then that she spotted that one guy from earlier, Bo was it? He was by himself leaning against a wall with his arms crossed over his chest. Was he waiting for someone? Or was he there alone?

"Say, Ty Lee," Azula began smoothly, "How exactly do you know that Bo guy from earlier?"

Oh boy. Just what was she supposed to say? 'Oh Azula, his real name is Tomu and he's our long lost friend that used to have the biggest crush on you.' She promised that she wouldn't expose him but she couldn't lie to Azula even if she wanted to. Azula would totally read and figure her out.

"He's just an old friend that I met a long time ago."

That, in a way, wasn't a lie. And it surprisingly came out so easily and natural.

"From when you were in the circus?" Azula questioned.

"Yes. That's actually where I met him."

Alright the lies were beginning to come out. She had to smoothly sway the conversation! Otherwise Azula would surely figure her out.

"You know Azula, when we were having a conversation not too long ago at the beach, he told me that he thought you were very pretty…even though you burnt his hands," Ty Lee relayed with a cheeky look. Time to play matchmaker! Tomu could thank her later. She was doing both of them a favor!

"He said that?" Azula wondered with surprise.

"Yeah! Talking back to you was just a way for him to hide how he really felt. I think he really liiiikes you, despite what happened earlier. Guys are weird remember? He's a really nice guy though, and he's a total hunk! Wouldn't you agree?"

Well this was something interestingly new. It appeared as though she was at a loss over what to say when it came to the topic of boys, let alone Bo. It always appeared as though boys always tried to avoid her, as if she scared them away. She never knew what she did wrong. It was an absurdity not worth her time to fret over but now, for a guy to actually compliment her even after she had burnt his hands as a result of their game earlier in the day. Was it weird for her to feel as though she had already met him before? Was this normal? Even if it was just this once, she should be able to enjoy all the little things average teenagers enjoyed. Whether it be a simple date with a boy, or silly feelings of infatuation and jealousy that were still quite unknown to her understanding and reason but were beginning to slowly come around in her mind.

"Well, yes. He is rather attractive," she replied shyly- quite uncharacteristic of her- casting a small glance in his direction.

She supposed it would be pointless to relay over in her mind that she didn't find Bo attractive in the least. Perhaps that is why she felt so, _jealous_, of Ty Lee- the fact that she appeared so close to the one guy she found to her liking. Not only did he have the looks and the strong body, he had guts. Even if he were to have been hiding his feelings by actually talking back to her- as Ty Lee said, the fact that he had actually done it and not run off like a spineless fool very much impressed her. She wondered, was this what a normal teenage infatuation felt like?

"Then go talk to him Azula!" Ty Lee said excitedly in a loud whisper. "He's all alone and who knows, you might get a date out of it!"

"I thought the guy was supposed to make the first move," Azula raised an eyebrow at her overly excited friend.

"Either or," Ty Lee shrugged with a mischievous smile.

"Very well then, I'll do it."

However just as she was about to walk towards Bo, the host of the party himself decided to stop on by and talk to the girls.

"Hey there, you two pretty ladies enjoying the party?" Chan asked smoothly, eyeing Azula as he crossed him arms firmly over his chest with the sole purpose of showing off some muscle to them.

"Yes very. Thanks again for inviting us!" Ty Lee replied cheerily, yet couldn't help but think, _'Heh, Tomu doesn't even need to flex.' _She noticed the look on Chan's face and could tell when someone was trying to make a move. She excused herself then discreetly gave Azula her thumbs up approval before she scurried off.

"Would you like a tour of the house?" he asked.

_Ty Lee's advice… time to follow Ty Lee's advice._

"Yes, that would be very nice," she said, planting on a smile as he led them away.

Meanwhile, as Ty Lee was searching for Tomu. . .

"Are you sure you don't want anything from my plate? I haven't touched any of it if that's what's worrying you," Tomu asked Mai as he held out the plate.

"I'm sure. I already sent Zuko to get me food and I'm pretty sure if he came back and saw me eating, he would flip."

"Ahh, I see then. If that were to be the case, I don't think it would be so wise of me to linger around here offering you food," he chuckled.

"Bo!" he heard a very familiar voice call out.

"Ty Lee?"

"We really need to talk. Hi Mai. Bye Mai," Ty Lee waved as she dragged Tomu away to a less crowded area of the house.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, setting the plate down on a nearby small table.

"Well yes and no," she fumbled with her fingers. "You see. I told Azula you said you thought she was really pretty and I told her I though you _really_ liked her-"

"Wait- what? Why would you say something like that?!" he nearly exclaimed in a hushed manner as to not attract attention.

"Well do you not think she is pretty? Plus you did have the biggest crush on her," Ty Lee shrugged innocently.

He rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "I- um- well- yeah, she's very beautiful-"

"Aha! See!" she pointed at him.

He sighed, "Ty Lee, many years have passed-"

"You said you didn't have a girlfriend though-"

"And I don't… Look, all I'm trying to say is that many years have passed and I'm not a little kid anymore being swayed around by a childish crush. Do I care about her? Yes, I very much do. I still care about _all_ of you. That never changed. I would always wonder when the day would come when I'd be able to see you all again. But like I said, time has passed and things have changed. If I never got a single reaction back then, what makes you think that I'll get one now after all of these years? Things are just…different now."

"I think she likes you," Ty Lee crossed her arms, "And I also think she liked you back then too."

"No, she _likes_ Bo and _liked_ the shy, powerless little runt I was back then. I mean c'mon, I was barely taller than Zuko and yet I'm two years older than him, but look how I am now. I get what you're trying to do Ty Lee. You're trying to set us up together. But what happens when we do happen to get along and she realizes who I really am? What happens when she realizes that this Bo person that she just met today and whom you say she _likes,_ is actually that one boy whom she had at her feet all those years ago? I didn't exactly leave that much of an impression when I left. If anything that's probably how she'll ever remember me by."

"Perspectives can change in an instant. Sure we might not know how she will react if she finds out, but it's never too late. Do you really want to let this slip by you and possibly regret it? Even if it was one moment or one night in each other's presence, would it not be worth at least making the effort?"

Wise words by Ty Lee; Tomu was surprised.

"You're making it sound as if we were actually lovers torn apart by time," he rubbed the side of his face, feeling his oncoming stubble.

"You kinda are," Ty Lee murmured cheekily.

"What?"

"Nothing! Look, right now she is with Chan when she had the true intention of talking to you," she persisted, gently tugging at his arm.

Chan. Tomu wasn't exactly getting the best impression of him. Chan was an admiral's son, just like him, and the fact that Chan was _secretly_ throwing this party seemed rather disrespectful in Tomu's book. Chan was also rather arrogant when it came to labeling himself as 'cool' and judging whether or not others were. He thought himself the big shot that he really wasn't. Tomu could clearly see the type of guy Chan really was.

"What exactly do you want me to do then?" he gave in. "If she's with him right now then wouldn't it be rude in me interrupting?"

"Truth is, I don't really like him," Ty Lee whispered. "He seems too full of himself…"

_Thank you!_

"…And I don't really think it would do any harm if you were to just so happen to 'pass by'."

He sighed, rubbing the back of his head, "Alright alright. I…I'll give it a shot. Where are they?"

"That's the thing… I don't know. I left when he started checking her out."

"He was checking her out?"

"Yeah- whyyyy? Something wrong? Oh! Are you _jealous_?" Ty Lee gave him a mischievous look.

"What? No. I was just wondering is all. I guess I'll just walk around and ask for Chan and see where that leads me," he stuffed his hands in his pockets. There would be no point in asking for Azula. Chan on the other hand… all the ladies loved him- except Ty Lee it now seemed- and all the guys wanted to be his friend. Guys like that spelled trouble.

As he asked around, many of the girls pointed him to the general direction where they had last seen Chan head off to with 'some girl'. Now he was walking aimlessly down a hallway when he spotted an opening to a balcony. Some fresh air sounded really nice right about now. However before he could step out, something, or rather someone bumped into him. It felt as if someone ran into him yet it wasn't Tomu who stumbled back and nearly fell on his rear.

"Hey man! Watch where you're going!" Chan snarled as he straightened himself out.

"I..uh, me? You ran into me, if I'm not mistaken. In such a hurry to leave, are we?" he raised an eyebrow and tilted his head to the side, looking down at Chan.

"Whatever man, you can apologize to me later," he briskly walked past Tomu.

Tomu didn't even bother to cast Chan a glance as he walked away. He just continued on his way but once he stepped out into the balcony, he was surprised at who _he_ almost bumped into.

"O-oh, uh- hi," was all he managed to say as he stood right in front of her.

"Oh," she stepped back quite surprised herself. "Hi. What are you doing here?" she asked, quite unsurely.

"Well, I was just going to get some fresh air…"

"Oh, I see," Azula cast a look to the ground, almost… disappointed?

"N-no! I- well, actually, I was looking for you. But I couldn't find you, so then I was just going to get some fresh air, but now I found you, so here we are." Why was he having difficulty in speaking properly? Now of all times?

_He_ actually came looking for _her_? Azula didn't really understand if she was happy, surprised, or both. Neither did she really understand this strange fluttering feeling she was experiencing when he had said that. Being a normal teen sure was something unique and different.

"Was there a particular reason as to why you were searching for me?" she asked.

"Uh yeah, I wanted to apologize for not exactly 'behaving' at our introduction and also to tell you that you… you look very beautiful tonight… I was going to tell you that before but you were in umm, quite the hurry to leave," he laughed, rubbing the back of his head.

"Oh, why thank you," she felt her cheek before slowly turning around to lean on the rail overlooking the ocean. "…for the compliment, that is. As for earlier, it's quite unnecessary to apologize."

Tomu couldn't help but smile . . . he saw it . . . right before she turned around . . . even with the dim lighting . . . he saw it . . . a small blush on her cheeks. He stared off into the ocean, a safe distance between them and a comfortable silence among them.

"It sure is a lovely night. The party would have been better if it had been outside," Tomu spoke.

"Have you not been enjoying yourself?" Azula questioned.

"Well, I'll be completely honest with you when I say that I really didn't want to come. But the only reason I did is because of a promise I made to someone. I figured it couldn't be that bad but I've been pretty bored most of the time- well, except for now that is," he glanced down at her. "What about you? Are you not enjoying yourself?"

_I am now._

"More or less. Although I will admit that I wish I hadn't been acquainted with certain people. I try to be nice and all that results in idiots trying to play me for a fool," she scoffed, recalling her experience with Chan not too long ago. She had taken Ty Lee's advice and would say she was doing very well but when he suddenly tried to make a move, she rejected him and he- not wanting to be the rejected one- in turn rejected her then hurried off. And well that all led to now.

Tomu laughed, turning around to lean back against the rail with his arms crossed over his chest. "You, a fool? Who in their right mind would think that?"

"Exactly." She couldn't help but act _herself_. It felt so nice not trying to put up a dim-witted façade just to impress a guy; it appeared as though Ty Lee's advice just wasn't for her. It did attract guys, but not the ones to her liking.

She noticed his arms and their shaped form and thought of just how much Chan was proud of his when they didn't even compare. Chan's arms- his entire being for that matter- looked as though he worked out every once in a while and was just lucky to have some muscle form at all. Bo however looked as though he was sculpted through actual hard work and training. Yet where Chan flaunted his appearance, Bo seemed to care less.

"Say, how would you feel if we were to ditch this party and go down to the beach?"

"That sounds like a rather excellent idea."

They walked back around to the main living area where something seemed to be happening. A fight possibly? But who would start the commotion?

"Azula! Bo!" Ty Lee approached. "You need to do something about Zuko!"

"Zuzu is free to do as he so desires."

Ty Lee turned to Tomu with pleading eyes. He sighed, "I'll see what I can do."

He pushed through the crowd and stood next to Mai who was not in the least impressed by her boyfriend's constant jealous behavior.

"You'll have to excuse my friend here," Tomu interrupted Zuko and the pretty boys' confrontation before it broke out into a brawl.

"Don't you be getting involved," Chan spat. "Why don't you and those freaks just leave my party… after you apologize to me that is."

"Oh?" Tomu raised an eyebrow, very amused to say the least. "And just what exactly am I apologizing for?"

"Don't play dumb with me! Apologize for bumping into me earlier. Plus, if it weren't for me, you wouldn't even be here."

"Alright, let's see here," Tomu sighed not really believing this was happening right now. "One: I would never 'play dumb with you' as that would require me to degrade myself to your level just so you could understand me. Two: _You_ bumped into _me_ and nearly fell on your little powdered tushie as a result. And three: I didn't really want to come in the first place. I'd be more than happy to leave before you tell your ol' admiral daddy on me."

Oh yes, a guy to her liking indeed. Azula sure was enjoying the show.

Chan was furious. His rage had boiled over and what happened next surprised everyone. He swung… at Tomu… and hit… square on the jaw. Tomu's head whipped to the side as he took a step back.

Chan seemed rather happy with himself until he heard Tomu laughing. His expression completely dropped.

"Oho you," Tomu waved his finger as he straightened himself out, "Cheap shot you. But want to know the funny part. It tickled. I get _pebbles _thrown at me harder than that punch by little ten year olds."

Chan swung again but this time Tomu caught his fist.

"Make that nine year olds."

Chan swung yet again and was caught again.

Tomu now had both of Chan's fists and proceeded to slowly squeeze. Chan was quickly on his knees. Weak. Tomu wasn't even squeezing that hard. Chan was just all talk as he assumed. He let go then glanced at Ruon-Jian whom was just standing there the entire time.

"We'll be taking our leave now," Azula said triumphantly as she slid her arm around Tomu's in a power statement and proceeded to leave alongside her group towards the beach. . .

* * *

**A/N: Love to hear your feedback! :)**


End file.
